CONGRESS of the People (COP) leader Prakash Ramadhar yesterday continued the party's "Street Talk" series, this time, walking through St James.

Ramadhar met with residents, business owners and customers of the busiest district in Port of Spain with what, he said, was a message for the people that the COP is still alive and there to support them.

Most of the complaints coming to Ramadhar were based on traffic woes, parking issues and crime.

Many residents complained about noise from nearby entertainment establishments.

Some said their premises are also littered daily by patrons of these businesses, who sometimes also choose the gateways of residents' properties for use as a urinal.

Streets crowded by the parked cars of limers also posed a problem.

Some business owners, in the meantime, expressed concern about the growing rate of "bold-faced" crime in the area, whereby patrons and business people were being robbed regularly as they moved in and out of their businessplaces.

Broken pavements and vagrancy were also raised as problems that were one the rise.

Speaking to the Sunday Express later on, one resident said petty thievery was on the rise, and some criminals have begun to dress and act as patrons of the nearby venues as they prey on the area.

"One of my neighbours was robbed by a well-dressed man acting like he was looking for a particular bar," the woman said.

"The man approached my neighbour by his gate, asking about the place, and then robbed him. Luckily, he didn't go into the man's house, but these criminals are getting more innovative every day," the resident, who did not want to be identified, said.